Fulham – Shades of Jari Litmanen?

The signing of Giles Barnes, on loan, during the transfer window, surprised many people.

Here was Roy signing a player who had barely started for his club side in recent months thanks to some horrific injuries.

Now it transpires that Barnes is highly unlikely to play a major part in what remains of our season with Hodgson quoted as saying,

‘He came to the club after a long absence and is unfit.’

‘Our job is to get him fit and he’s working hard to get fit but I don’t think you’ll see Giles playing any major part in our play until he’s fit enough.”

‘He might be able to play a bit part and come on for 10-15 minutes as a substitute but if we’re talking about him playing a serious role as a 90 minute player then first of all we have to get him physically fit.”

Like it says in the title, shades of that enigmatic Finn we had on our books this time last season!